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MY VIOLENCE-STREWN HOMELAND
Moon out of view
Dogs barking from a distance
Police vans patrolling
The roads and streets
Of this terror-struck land of mine.
All by myself I am
At these pre-dawn hours.
A nightly vigil in quest of peace.
My country is not what it was
Three decades ago.
There was no militancy
Nor suicide attacks
No guns, no bombs, no violence
Just amity and tolerance
Rustled in the air.
Music and innocence
Love and forbearance
Flourished happily.
Schools, colleges and parks
Resounded with laughter
Of boys and girls
Devoid of any fear
Of attacks by extremists.
How everything has changed!
Changed for the worse
Nowadays.
I ask myself if I am the only one
Feeling this tragedy of time
Or if there are others like me
Longing for tranquility
Peace and harmony
Along with stability
In the homeland.
Like the owl I mull
The sad unfolding
Of the grim scenario
Gripping my homeland
Like the tentacles of an octopus.
Is there light at the tunnel's end?
A silver lining with the dark clouds?
There is no answer to my questions
As the shadows of night also stop
For a while to listen
To all that I am uttering
To myself and the scene around.
The endless dimension above
Increases my pathetic thoughts.
I am dejected and sad.
O my heart
Tell me what to do
Tell me where to go
To try and play a part
In restoring sanity
In this land of mine.
I watch the news each night about your homeland...and my heart goes out to your people...I wonder sometimes why and how does things like this happen..Why does God let it be...I have friends living there...They are ever on my mind...and I worry about their safety...I pray things will change for you and your people...I pray God will keep them safe.....You write about your home land with great passion....I pray that things will change for the better for all man kind...Hope is not lost...